Epilogue

EPILOGUE

TWO WEEKS LATER

“ T his is for you.” Andi handed Mariella a present. “It’s from me and Duke.”

She watched as Mariella gingerly opened it, a grin on her face.

After Mariella pulled off the colorful wrapping paper, she tugged off a box top and pulled out a . . . reindeer stuffed animal.

She squinted as if confused. But as she turned the reindeer around, she seemed to notice it wore a pink sweater with a name embroidered across the front.

Slasher.

Mariella burst into laughter. “I'm not going to live that one down, am I?”

“No, you're not,” Duke confirmed.

The whole group laughed.

Christmas was still five days away, but the murder club had decided to have an early Christmas celebration together.

Everyone had gone to Ranger and Simmy’s house. Anastasia was here with them, as well as Juniper. Jason had joined them from Salmon-by-the-Sea. Tim had been invited, but he was currently trying to make things right with Jared.

The DNA test had come back, and Juniper was indeed Simmy’s daughter.

The only explanation they’d come up with to explain the twist was that IVF treatments were too expensive and so Mark, Simmy’s first husband, had opted for artificial insemination instead. But only for Simmy’s first pregnancy.

He’d been anxious for this baby to be born—probably because the sooner the baby came, the sooner he would get paid. Therefore, he hadn't wanted to go through the longer IVF process.

Simmy and Juniper had been bonding ever since the news was confirmed—actually, before that. In fact, Juniper had come to live with Ranger and Simmy until she could get things figured out.

Operations at the reindeer camp had been temporarily shut down. But Ranger and Simmy were working with Juniper to help her figure out exactly what she wanted to do with the place—if she wanted to continue to run it or if she had other plans.

Like becoming a veterinarian.

There were still the reindeer at the camp to take care of. But there were several investors interested in taking over the camp. Andi was working with Juniper to make sure if she took any deals, she wouldn’t get cheated. Right now, Juniper was leaning toward keeping her family’s cabin and retaining a small ownership in the property.

She didn’t want to leave the animals she cared about so much.

Animals that had saved the gang’s lives.

Thankfully, the families of the victims of the December Dismemberer finally had some answers. Maybe with the answers, they would also have some closure and peace.

They’d put the finishing touches on their latest podcast, and it had been a big hit.

Now they’d moved on to their next case.

The doorbell rang, and Ranger rose to answer. A moment later Gibson walked in and joined in the fun. “I heard I was invited to stop by, so here I am.”

Everyone welcomed him, motioning for him to join their circle around the fireplace.

Simmy really had done a great job decorating. Not only were there the normal Christmas decorations—the tree, the garland, the wreaths on the doors. But on the coffee table in front of them was a wooden nativity set that Ranger had gotten for Simmy.

Every time Andi glanced at the scene, a surge of warmth rushed through her.

The set was a nice reminder that Christmas wasn't just about traditions and gifts and materialism.

But Christmas was about remembering the birth of God's Son here on earth.

Duke caught her staring at the nativity and squeezed her hand.

Ever since Andi had told him what she was going through, her panic attacks had lessened. She felt she was doing so much better.

But she was going to continue to go to therapy, just to make sure she was still on track.

As everyone broke off into their own conversations, Andi looked up in time to see Matthew slip something to Juniper.

Juniper's eyebrows flew up at the unexpected gift.

Andi knew she should look away and give them privacy, yet she couldn't seem to tear her gaze away from them.

Juniper opened the gift and held up a Christmas ornament.

From Lord of the Rings .

“An Evenstar . . .” she murmured. “I love it!”

Was something brewing between the two of them? Andi wasn't sure. But the idea was intriguing, at least.

She prayed for Matthew, that one day he would find his match. That he wouldn't always feel like the seventh wheel.

She prayed for everyone on their team. They were doing a good work together . . . but there would always be obstacles to overcome, forces that tried to stop them.

For now, she would celebrate Christmas with her Alaska family. Then Duke was going home with her to Texas to meet her father. Mariella and Matthew were going to California to see family. Ranger and Simmy would celebrate their first Christmas as husband and wife . . . along with Anastasia and Juniper.

She squeezed Duke’s hand as he sat beside her and prayed she’d never stop counting her blessings.